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The realuminization of Tuorla Observatory's 1-metre telescope mirror is complete. The mirror was taken from the telescope in May and moved the optical laboratory 10 metres underground, waiting for the old aluminium to be removed and the new one applied in the Lab's vacuum chamber.
The vacuum chamber was pumped to down to just 0.00007 millibars pressure. Aluminium is vapourised onto its surface via a tungsten element, brought to a high temperature with electric current. The aluminization took place on 13th of August, and the mirror was already back in the telescope a few days later. Final collimation of the mirror and testing of the system with the CCD camera took place on 20th August.
Further info on Tuorla's array of telscopes can be found at our telescope page
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Kaj Wiik (left) and Raimo Junes have just removed the 1-metre mirror from Tuorla's Dall-Kirkham telescope. Photo credit: Perttu Keinänen
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Kaj Wiik checking that the mirror is secure in its mounting bracket. Photo credit: Perttu Keinänen |
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The flat back of the mirror, illuminated by a shaft of light coming from the dome slit. Photo credit: Perttu Keinänen |
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Kaj Wiik (left) and Raimo Junes with the mirror shortly after removal from the aluminization chamber. Photo credit: Kaj Wiik |
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The mirror ready for reinstallation into the telescope. Photo credit: Perttu Keinänen |
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Kari Nilsson in the process of collimation checks, using his sharp eyes and the bright star Vega. Photo credit: Perttu Keinänen |
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Kari Nilsson reinstalling the CCD camera to the telescope backend. Photo credit: Perttu Keinänen |
